The repair of articular cartilage injuries remains a challenge in present day orthopedics. Several of the current therapeutic strategies are based upon the grafting of chondral and osteochondral tissues. Autologous osteochondral grafting provides the most appropriate physiological material. However, donor tissue is limited, and often requires surgery at a secondary site in order to harvest tissue for transplant. Accordingly, despite substantial endeavors in this field, there remains a need for an effective method of repair of articular cartilage defects and injuries which provides appropriate physiological repair without the need to collect autologous tissue from the patient.